FNS is committed to increasing access to SNAP, one of the most powerful tools available to ensure low-income people have access to healthy food. Program informational activities, or SNAP outreach activities, are a critical tool to ensure vulnerable populations are aware of the availability, eligibility requirements, application procedures, and benefits of SNAP.
This collection of information is necessary for the application of the Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Awards by school food authorities.
SNAP and Head Start are working together to identify ways to promote early childhood education and nutrition services. Joint messaging or outreach reduces duplication and provides new ways to increase child development and nutrition security for children and families.
Through this data collection effort, FNS seeks to understand the interrelated factors that lead to household food insecurity. Data will be collected in six counties experiencing persistent intergenerational poverty through a study titled Understanding the Relationship Between Poverty, Well-Being, and Food Security.
FNS strongly recommends that all states develop a SNAP outreach plan. In addition to increasing enrollment among eligible non-participating households, SNAP outreach can help reduce churn by encouraging existing SNAP households to recertify.
The purpose of this memo is to provide guiding principles that assist state agencies in meeting regulatory requirements. Effective engagement by state agencies with Tribes is essential to meeting the nutrition needs of citizens of Tribal nations.
USDA FNS, Tribes, and SNAP state agencies share goals to improve nutrition and health for American Indians/Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) through nutrition assistance and nutrition education.
FNS strongly recommends that all states develop a SNAP outreach plan. In addition to increasing enrollment among eligible non-participating households, SNAP outreach can help maintain enrollment for existing SNAP clients through the recertification process, including households who need additional support as state agencies transition from COVID-19 federal PHE flexibilities to normal SNAP operations.
Households with a child approved to receive free or reduced price meals under the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program during the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 school year are eligible for the Federal Communication Commission’s Emergency Broadband Benefit. EBB is a federal program to help eligible families pay for internet service during the pandemic.
This memorandum sets forth SNAP state outreach plan approval policies. This guidance is based upon a similar memo regarding SNAP Employment & Training Plans, issued May 30, 2012.